Regular Veterinary Health Checks For Intact Males

[labadore]

Do any of you owners of intact male dogs (particulary large breeds) have your dogs vet examined and/or bloodtests/urine tests on an annual basis for the potential health issues for intact males i.e. Testicular Cancer, Prostrate Cancer and Perenial Hernias? Just interested in what other owners of intact males do with regards to regular health checks and preventative measures.

My 5 year old black Lab male is the first of my male Labs that I have purposely kept intact. I was originally going to have him neutered around 3 years of age after he was fully physically matured but I was a bit paranoid about having him neutered after doing copious amounts of research on the pros/cons of neutering with regard to health benefits after I lost his predecessor, my beautiful 10 yearold black Lab boy to the wretched cancer, Hemangiosarcoma . Also he has been an extremely good boy with a bomb proof temperament, has been well socialised from a pup and have not had any issues with marking inside etc. He does try to mount some dogs at the dog park as he matured, but I knock that on the head quick smart as won't tolerate it, even when owners of the poor dog being humped is saying, "it is okay, they are only being dogs".

Along with not neutering him, I have him titre tested instead of yearly/3yearly vaccinations and keep him as chemical free as I can (no flea/tick treatments etc as luckily I don't live in an area where these are problems). He is due for his 2nd titre test next month which is 3 years after his first titre test (he had his puppy vacs and annual booster and then his 1st titre test a year after his annual booster). I know potential health issues for intact males include, Testicular Cancer, Prostrate Cancer and Perenial Hernias and whilst these normally occur in older dogs, I am going to get Vet to do thorough physical examination in all these areas when I take my boy to his get his titre test next month and will probably get a full CBC and urine analysis done at the same time.

I also plan to have annual full physical Vet checks on my boy from 7 years old onwards and relevant bloodtests/urine analysis as hopefully a preventative/early diagnosis measure for the potential health issues for intact males as well as for other potential health issues, particularly Hemangiosarcoma, which unfortunately is becoming too much of a frequent occurrence in dogs . My boy is extremely healthy and hopefully he will stay this way for many more years to come and hopefully live to a ripe old age like his two Lab mates that helped me raise him did (15 years and 15.8 years of age).

I know keeping him intact is no guarantee for a long life without health problems as I know genetics play the biggest part in longevity and I wouldn't hesitate to have him neutered if he was unlucky enough to get testicular or prostrate cancer or any other health condition that necessitated neutering.

[Dogsfevr]

We check our own dogs ,we now what is there & we are the ones who should notice any changes .

AS a dog groomer i can't tell you how many things we pick up because owners don't check or feel there dogs ,most when you mention it

.The number of cancers we have detected or changes in between an 8 week period makes me wonder whether owners actually touch there dogs

Changes in the dogs privates can happen very quickly

[Bjelkier]

I check my own dogs every couple of days when I groom them. Paying attention to their body condition, eating and toileting habits, any little odd bumps, lumps or cuts and general demeanour shows an awful lot.

Only when I find something that doesn't seem right do I bother with the vet.

[LisaCC]

I have my first intact dog too, I do my own physical checks daily like Bjelkier, then a vet yearly if there is no other reason to go in. If he needs to go to the vet for any reason I ask for a check up then too.

I did want to mention that desexing males does not necessarily decrease the chance of prostate cancer, there is research suggesting the opposite actually.

Edited December 8, 2014 by LisaCC

[VizslaMomma]

I can echo what the others said.

My boy remained intact for his whole 15 years .

He was checked by us daily.

Every dog/bitch we have owned was trained to line up daily to be checked.

This involved hands on touching & feeling of everything.

They would all stand like they were being judged at a Show. Then get a thorough check.

In fact twice because of checks, we caught ticks that were feasting happily. ZsaZsa had a benign mammary tumour, detected at once.

Until the furkids were 10 years old, they had once yearly Wellness checks with the Vet. After 10 years, we treated them to twice yearly checks.

All older dogs were also titre checked and never vaccinated.

I think your attitude is excellent to want to look after your dog like this.

:)

[WreckitWhippet]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

[LisaCC]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

My daily checks are mainly going all through his thick fur for any stray grass seeds, testicles are just another thing to check.

[Bjelkier]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

My daily checks are mainly going all through his thick fur for any stray grass seeds, testicles are just another thing to check.

Same. With the heavy coat grass seeds are a serious issue for us and we've had a boy get a seed lodged very close to his testicles and I don't want that happening again. It's not paranoia, it's care.

[labadore]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

I am not sure what paranoia you are referring to. My own paranoia for the checks is due to the fact that my boy is due for his 2nd titre test next month, so I thought that I would get all the relevant checks and tests done at the same time as my boy hasn't been to a Vet for about 3 years as he hasn't had any issues and with having lost my 10 year old Lab boy to Hemangiosarcoma, I just want to make sure that I cover all bases for relevant checks/tests specific to intact males as well as male dogs in general as a preventative/early diagnosis measure. Also, first boy I have kept intact, so was just asking what relevant checks other owners of intact males do. Like you, my hands are on my dogs daily, so I am aware of any physical changes and I don't check testicles daily, probably more likely weekly.

[VizslaMomma]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

We started daily to make it a regular happening rather than forgetting.

I prefer entire males and docked tails.

:)

[FHRP]

My entire males get a prostate exam at their annual health check by the vet. I 'check' their testicles regularly, as I do my entire bitches mammary glands. I get annual bloods done from about 10 years old, but I'd do that on a desexed dog too.

[sas]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

No paranoia in this thread, just your unnecessary negativity.

[Nekhbet]

Daily check of testicles etc is overkill, I check the boys probably every couple of weeks. I put my hands on my dogs daily so I am aware of any physical changes. Why the paranoia surrounding entire males all of a sudden ?

Because apparently not being surgically altered is a massive risk for a dog. I never go more then a basic check for any of my entire dogs, if that rare thing crops up we go to the vet. I do no blood tests or invasive procedures just because my dogs are not desexed at all. The dogs I have lost to illness, or any vet visits we do have, have nothing to do with being entire.